Natural Beauty: Dry Brushing

Good morning!!  Having a wonderful day yet?  If not, then start right now!

I am running on only about five hours of sleep today.  Neighbor noise woke me up quite a few times during the night, and woke me up for good around 6:30am this morning.  I didn’t have to be awake until 8am, and couldn’t get back to sleep, so I lay and snuggled with my puppy dog Arlo, until my alarm went off.  Watching him sleep was the sweetest thing, all cozy in the crook of my arm, lying on his back, paws in the air.  He definitely helped me start off today on a more positive note.

Since I didn’t hit the snooze button 50 billion times this morning, I actually had time to get up and do one of my favorite pre-shower rituals: dry brushing. 

In the last year or so, dry brushing has replaced the usual body exfoliants for me.  I bought this brush at the food co-op near my college town for around $12, and should last me quite a few years, unlike chemical-ridden exfoliants which will have to be replaced on a regular basis.  The only maintenance that a dry brush requires is regular cleaning with a mild soap, such as Dr. Bronners.

Using a dry brush rids the skin of dead cells, allowing the skin underneath to regenerate more quickly, giving you newer, more beautiful skin.  When I dry brush regularly, I can feel an amazing difference in how my skin feels, especially in places that are usually rougher, like my elbows and feet.

Not only that, but dry brushing can also help your body detoxify itself more easily, if done correctly.  Brushing stimulates the lymphatic system, moving the toxins in your lymph towards the heart, so that it can be removed more quickly.  Because of this, it can be especially helpful to dry brush after a wild night out, or when you know you’ve been consuming more chemicals than usual.

To reap the most benefits from dry brushing, begin at the feet and dry brush up the legs in long sweeping, or circular motions, concentrating a bit more on the rougher areas.  Begin at the hands, and work up the arms in the same motion, being sure to always be moving toward the heart center.  Next, brush your butt and your back, then moving onto your stomach, where you should use circular motions, from the belly button, moving outwards in a spiral, finishing with a figure-eight around the chest.

Avoid brushing the face, or any area where the skin is blemished or sensitive.

Shower after dry brushing to remove the dead skin cells and toxins that have been brushed off.  Follow up with a nice moisturizer, such as coconut oil, to make your skin feel extra good!

The skin is your largest organ, so treating it well should be up there on your priority list with eating well!

Once I was ready for work, Keenan and I headed down to the ferry dock, and I stopped by the Starbucks for a vente iced soy chai, which is currently giving my some crazy jitters!

The rest of my breakfast included a big ol’ berry smoothie

and a peanut butter cookie Larabar.

I’m off to the office, so you go have yourself an awesome Saturday!!

<3 Lindsay